Related Stories

That about sums up the situation for Toronto Marlies rookie Brad Ross, who hasn’t been able to find a spot in the lineup following four seasons as a higher-than-average contributor with Portland of the Western Hockey League.

Ross, the Maple Leafs’ second-round pick in 2010, finished his major junior career in 2011-12 with 82 points in 68 games for the Winterhawks. But he did not dress for either of the Marlies’ two games to open the regular season, a victim not only of inexperience but also of numbers.

“I’m not too much of a person to be kind of pouty about it,” Ross, a 20-year-old winger, said. “It’s a lot different than junior. I was on the power play, on the penalty kill, in crucial times of the game I would be out there.

“It really makes me appreciate what I had, and makes me hungry to try to get those roles on this team. I’m going to work hard in practice, because those are my games right now. The last two games were the first games I have ever been a healthy scratch for.”

Marlies coach Dallas Eakins has to deal with a glut of players because of the National Hockey League lockout, and Ross undoubtedly would be playing had any of them — Nazem Kadri, Joe Colborne, Leo Komarov — been with the Leafs.

But some Marlies veterans didn’t impress Eakins last weekend and could be out of the lineup if lacklustre play continues for another game or two. Whether that means Ross gets in remains to be seen. Forwards Kenny Ryan and Spencer Abbott also toiled on the sideline.

“He’s going to have to keep going hard in practice, stay ready, and then he has to wait for an injury or somebody to falter,” Eakins said of Ross. “It’s not like I need to get one young player in, I have to get three.

“I think he understands. We have had guys come through this organization before who were great scorers in junior but couldn’t quite play. You can always look back at a guy’s stats, but for me it’s what’s happening now. Even though he was great in junior and we know he can do certain things, it is what he does here every day that counts.”

FIGHTING WORDS

Eakins isn’t sure that the Marlies need to add brawn. At least, not yet.

There aren’t the likes of Colton Orr, Jay Rosehill, Kyle Neuber or Kelsey Wilson on the club’s roster as there were in the past.

“I like having somebody that can settle things down, but you are never sure which way the game is going either,” Eakins said.

“This is a game now where you don’t have to fight to be tough. We’re going to have to see where we are after 10 or 15 games. If it looks like we are going to need somebody like that, we will find somebody.”

Just don’t figure on seeing any one-trick ponies in Eakins’ stable. He isn’t going to revert to a trend that has gone out of style.

“I don’t like our guys going out and fighting for the sake of fighting,” Eakins said. “I hate it. To go out and line up to fight somebody does not mean a lot to me. We have a whole bunch of guys who can handle themselves, so we will do it as a group right now.”

ICE CHIPS

Eakins had praise for Kadri’s intensity. “Naz is always one of the most competitive guys on our bench during the game,” Eakins said. “When that puck drops, that kid is all business.” What was Don Cherry saying about the Leafs destroying the kid? Never mind ... The Marlies assigned forward Sam Carrick to Idaho of the ECHL. But forwards Andrew Crescenzi and Tyler Brenner hadn’t yet been re-assigned mostly because of paperwork reasons, Leafs vice-president of hockey operations Dave Poulin said.

LEAFS PROSPECTS THREE STARS

1. Dominic Toninato

C, Fargo Force

Had three goals and three assists with three consecutive two-point games. Like fellow USHL grad Tony Cameranesi, fifth-round pick committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth next year.

2. Morgan Rielly

D, Moose Jaw Warriors

Leafs' No. 5 overall pick had a five-assist game and was a plus-5 in a 9-0 blowout of visiting Prince Albert on Saturday. Rielly and the Warriors were shut out the next night.

3. Matt Finn

D, Guelph Storm

Second-round pick went 2-2-4 in two games, including a wicked one-timer from the high slot 23 seconds into overtime, to beat the Petes 7-6 on Sunday.